The present invention relates to the field of disposable absorbent articles adapted to be secured to a portion of a wearer's body and utilized for the absorption and containment of body fluids such as menstrual fluid, urine and other body exudates. More particularly, the present invention relates to removal aids for comfortably disengaging the disposable absorbent article from the wearer's body.
Disposable absorbent articles for the absorption and containment of urine, menses and other body exudates are generally known in the art. Such disposable articles have found particular utility in the fields of infant, child, feminine and adult incontinence hygiene. In the area of feminine care, such disposable absorbent articles have been commercialized in two basic types, the tampon and the sanitary napkin. For the purposes described herein, sanitary napkins includes thin absorbent devices such as a panty liner and an interlabial device, which may have an absorbency of just a few grams, to the larger maxi and overnight pad designed for absorbing a much greater quantity of body fluids. Present sanitary napkins are unitary, preshaped and prefolded and may be individually packaged for discreteness and hygienic purposes. Their construction is comprised of a liquid permeable, bodyside cover; a liquid-impermeable, garment-facing baffle and an absorbent positioned between the cover and the baffle. The sanitary napkin also may include an adhesive disposed on the garment-facing surface of the baffle to secure the sanitary napkin in the crotch region of the wearer's undergarment.
After the sanitary napkin is soiled, it is removed and discarded. Removing a sanitary napkin secured to the undergarment usually involves stripping the sanitary napkin from the crotch area of the undergarment. However, if the sanitary napkin has become adhered to the wearer the sanitary napkin may pull the pubic hair and tissue from the person as it is being removed, causing, in most cases, an extreme amount of discomfort.
A sanitary napkin is disclosed in the patent application having U.S. Ser. No. 08/167,597 filed on Dec. 14, 1993, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, utilizes a body adhesive to secure the sanitary napkin to the wearer's body. To remove this sanitary napkin, the wearer usually grasps an exposed edge of the sanitary napkin and pulls downward. Depending upon the location of the adhesive, grasping an edge may be difficult. The adhesive may also have body fluids, such as menses or other fluids coating its surface. Desirably, the wearer wants to avoid contacting the body excretions to prevent soiling her hands and possibly her clothing. Touching the adhesive may also block the that portion of the adhesive, lessening the adhesive strength for retaining the sanitary napkin against the body if reapplied.
Therefore, there is a need for a means to comfortably and hygienically remove such an absorbent article from the wearer's body without soiling the person or their clothing.